Restart a Heart Day: First on Scene provides free CPR training to schoolchildren

On Monday 16th October 2017, up to 200,000 young people across the UK learnt CPR as part of European Restart a Heart Day.

First on Scene provided the free CPR training to pupils at three West Yorkshire schools; Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Tong Leadership Academy and Allerton Grange High School.

Every year, around 30,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and survival rates are very low, with less than one in ten people making a recovery.

With survival rates being four times higher in countries such as Norway, where CPR is much more widely taught, it's clear that more widespread CPR training is key.

Jon Matley, First on Scene Director said, ‘It is vitally important that young people are equipped with the skills to save the life of those around them. We are proud to be offering this essential training to young people and contributing towards the 200,000 goal of Restart a Heart Day 2017’.

Cardinal Heenan’s Deputy headteacher, Vince Gibbons, said, ‘Our students really enjoyed their training on Restart a Heart Day. They are building key skills for life.’

Pupils were taught vital lifesaving skills including: how to recognise cardiac arrest, how to effectively administer CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).